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This thread is for the experienced Sword Art Online viewer (i.e. those of you who are familiar with potentially all the light novels), its purpose is to allow free discussion of theories and speculation over the Sword Art Online anime series, it therefore will contain unmarked spoilers. If you are a light novel virgin of Sword Art Online, then do not read this thread unless you want to be spoiled (use the Speculation & Theories Thread).

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I'm truly amazed how the first episodes faithfully followed the first 3 chapter of the first volume faithfully. It definitely puts my fears to rest, at the moment, about changing certain aspects of the series that made it really captivating and appealing.

It's the first episode and I'm seriously impressed and if it stays faithful to the novels, and keeps doing what it's doing, than we've got an awesome masterpiece of a series in our hands, animated wise.

I wonder if they'll tie in the Aincrad sides stories in the anime...can't wait to see where this goes.

The anime isn't following the novel's sequence right? I remember the novel starting at floor 74 but the anime starts at floor 1.

Anyone can clear my doubts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPN

The first four episodes should cover the prolouge side story that takes place before V1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aphrah

It is. The events are just being shown in chronological order (the L/Ns start at floor 74, but go back to floor 1 for a few chapters). Don't worry; the anime has been very loyal thus far.

Actually, no, the anime is following novel volume 1 perfectly. Novel volume 1 starts off with this introduction with Kirito and Klein, the announcement, and them parting ways.

Episode 1 covered chapters 1-3 of volume 1 and the very first sentence of chapter 4. (the 2,000 death toll note after the credits) Chapter 5 is just one long description of what has happened over the first two years and the current state of the game world, which will probably take all of 5 or so minutes at the beginning of episode 2. Chapter 6 moves on to......the main story, to avoid novel spoilers. So none of this episode was anything not seen in volume 1.

Actually, no, the anime is following novel volume 1 perfectly. Novel volume 1 starts off with this introduction with Kirito and Klein, the announcement, and them parting ways.

Episode 1 covered chapters 1-3 of volume 1 and the very first sentence of chapter 4. (the 2,000 death toll note after the credits) Chapter 5 is just one long description of what has happened over the first two years and the current state of the game world, which will probably take all of 5 or so minutes at the beginning of episode 2. Chapter 6 moves on to......the main story, to avoid novel spoilers. So none of this episode was anything not seen in volume 1.

Nope, episode 2 is going to continue the story via the Aria in the Starless Night arc, basically telling the story of SAO in a chronological order, including whatever side stories they decide to include.

It's going to be quite a few episodes before they get back to chapter 4/5 in vol.1 of the novel.

Actually, no, the anime is following novel volume 1 perfectly. Novel volume 1 starts off with this introduction with Kirito and Klein, the announcement, and them parting ways.

Episode 1 covered chapters 1-3 of volume 1 and the very first sentence of chapter 4. (the 2,000 death toll note after the credits) Chapter 5 is just one long description of what has happened over the first two years and the current state of the game world, which will probably take all of 5 or so minutes at the beginning of episode 2. Chapter 6 moves on to......the main story, to avoid novel spoilers. So none of this episode was anything not seen in volume 1.

Nope. Chapter 1 begins with Kirito on floor 74, and then that slowly transitions into Chapters 2 and 3, which first episode covered. The moment on the 74th floor isn't very long, but it's still there. BT is down, but some other sites are still up.

@kokolores: It has been pointed out a few times that the author, Reki Kawahara, was very genre savvy when writing SAO, and wrote it almost as if it were a script for an anime.

Judging from the PV's the next episode should cover the short story Aria and the Starless night, then should move on to some of the other side stories in vol 2 if they are going in chronological order. There is a very good chart on baka-tsuki that shows the Chronological order of things which you can go look at to find out the proper order of the stories. (you know once the sites back up. Anyone know why its down? Did the SAO fans break break the server again?)

Nope, episode 2 is going to continue the story via the Aria in the Starless Night arc, basically telling the story of SAO in a chronological order, including whatever side stories they decide to include.

It's going to be quite a few episodes before they get back to chapter 4/5 in vol.1 of the novel.

from the prelim screening of episode 2, in addition to the episode title "Beater", not to mention common sense would dictate that it'd likely be a bad idea to follow the novel structure, as you would either end up with a second half (of the first cour) that is completely out of place as you have already resolved the main plotline, or an endless stream of "flashbacks" that would also tear apart the structure of the main plot.

You can't approach an anime like you would a book, while you can always write more short stories to augment an existing story, you can't do the same while animating the same story. Imagine if they followed volume 1's structure, what are they going to do with volume 2 and other short stories? you'd effective end up with a very short "series" followed by a stream of OAVs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nihgthawk

first 10 min of episode 2 you say when did this happen?

both episode 1 and bits of episode 2 were part of a premiere screening in Paris a week or two ago.

Well in the anime(preview), they show a guy jumping off a cliff suiciding and along with that girl with the black hair. I am assuming that they are part of the guild that kirito belong to. The guild's Leader is so "Meh" to me, jumping off a cliff because the guild member get schooled and find out kirito is BEATER.